The document discusses the tensions between publishers and libraries over ebook licensing and distribution. It describes publishers withdrawing ebook catalogs from libraries or raising prices drastically. Treating ebooks as services rather than commodities is proposed, with the Swedish model as an example where libraries pay per circulation. Issues with the Swedish model include the distribution fee and lack of dynamic pricing. Fixes proposed include lowering fees and giving publishers more control over pricing. Benefits of libraries publishing their own ebooks or partnering with publishers are also discussed.
8. The worlds largest trade
publishers are either...
• withdrawing their ebook catalogues from
library circulation
måndag 8 april 13
9. The worlds largest trade
publishers are either...
• withdrawing their ebook catalogues from
library circulation
• raising prices drastically
måndag 8 april 13
10. The worlds largest trade
publishers are either...
• withdrawing their ebook catalogues from
library circulation
• raising prices drastically
• or making changes to licensing terms that
are so unpopular that some libraries
blacklist entire publishing houses.
måndag 8 april 13
13. Trying to make ebooks
behave like print:
måndag 8 april 13
14. Trying to make ebooks
behave like print:
• You buy one ebook, you get to lend it to patrons
with no further costs, just like you would with a
print book
måndag 8 april 13
15. Trying to make ebooks
behave like print:
• You buy one ebook, you get to lend it to patrons
with no further costs, just like you would with a
print book
• An ebook can only be lent to one patron at the
time, if you want to make it available to more than
one patron at the same time, you have to buy
more than one license.
måndag 8 april 13
16. Trying to make ebooks
behave like print:
• You buy one ebook, you get to lend it to patrons
with no further costs, just like you would with a
print book
• An ebook can only be lent to one patron at the
time, if you want to make it available to more than
one patron at the same time, you have to buy
more than one license.
• The ebook wears out after a certain number of
circulations and you have to buy a new one, just
like a print book would. publishing houses.
måndag 8 april 13
21. Treating ebooks as
services, the Swedish model
• A library gets access to full catalogues without
entry fee
måndag 8 april 13
22. Treating ebooks as
services, the Swedish model
• A library gets access to full catalogues without
entry fee
• There's no cap on the number of patrons that gets
to lend an ebook concurrently.
måndag 8 april 13
23. Treating ebooks as
services, the Swedish model
• A library gets access to full catalogues without
entry fee
• There's no cap on the number of patrons that gets
to lend an ebook concurrently.
• There's a cost for every transaction, you have to
pay a fee everytime an ebook is made available to a
patron.
måndag 8 april 13
24. • Six times as many ebooks were distributed
through the Swedish library system than
through all commercial outlets combined in
2012.
måndag 8 april 13
25. Bugs in the Swedish
model
• A long tradition of de facto monopoly and
a 50 percent distribution fee
• Hard coded prices > windowing
måndag 8 april 13
27. Fixing the Swedish
model
• Publit lowers distribution fee from the
traditional 50 percent to 20 percent
måndag 8 april 13
28. Fixing the Swedish
model
• Publit lowers distribution fee from the
traditional 50 percent to 20 percent
• Dynamic pricing: the publisher decides cost
for circulation
måndag 8 april 13
29. Fixing the Swedish
model
• Publit lowers distribution fee from the
traditional 50 percent to 20 percent
• Dynamic pricing: the publisher decides cost
for circulation
• Tools for the library to filter what titles to
carry
måndag 8 april 13
30. Fixing the Swedish
model
• Publit lowers distribution fee from the
traditional 50 percent to 20 percent
• Dynamic pricing: the publisher decides cost
for circulation
• Tools for the library to filter what titles to
carry
• A platform that can be used by libraries
themselves
måndag 8 april 13
33. The library as publisher,
doing pretty well!
måndag 8 april 13
34. The library as publisher,
doing pretty well!
• An average commercial ebook circulated
twice per month to patrons in Stockholm
in 2012
måndag 8 april 13
35. The library as publisher,
doing pretty well!
• An average commercial ebook circulated
twice per month to patrons in Stockholm
in 2012
• The average Myrdal-title circulated eight
times per month during 2012
måndag 8 april 13
38. The library and the
publisher as partners
• front list titles are made available to the
library at a premium price without
windowing
måndag 8 april 13
39. The library and the
publisher as partners
• front list titles are made available to the
library at a premium price without
windowing
• the library lowers its cost for mid and
backlist titles
måndag 8 april 13
40. The library and the
publisher as partners
• front list titles are made available to the
library at a premium price without
windowing
• the library lowers its cost for mid and
backlist titles
• dual licensing: the library helps digitise the
publishers out of print titles
måndag 8 april 13